Irma Lemus
BURBANK -- Although candidates have until Dec. 1 to file for two
positions open on the Burbank Board of Education, some have already
announced their candidacies.
Board members Patricia "Trish" Burnett and Connie Lackey, whose seats
are coming open, have announced their reelection bids. The city's primary
election will be held Feb. 27.
"We've done a lot of changes in the last four years and we'd like to
continue the progress. It's not finished," Burnett said.
Burnett, 50, who was elected to the board in 1997, is serving as board
president. She is a homemaker who co-owns a consulting firm.
Lackey, a former board president, has been a board member since 1996.
She could not be reached for comment.
Glen Forsch, 52, a Burbank parent who describes himself as an active
member of the community, will be running for one of the open positions.
Forsch, director of the Sun Valley company Roscoe Hardware, said he
wants to be elected to the board in order to improve parent involvement
districtwide.
"Some parents are angry because they feel the district is not
communicating with them. This is why it's so important that parents know
how the system works," Forsch said.
If elected to the board, Forsch said he would stress that students
learn to read by first grade, as well as work on improving state test
scores at local schools.
Linda Smith, a Burbank resident who works in real estate, also has
announced she will seek a seat on the board.
Smith could not be reached for comment.
